Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-27
HAPPY BEHIND BARS.
MrLr BARLOW Llxgs TUE LUDLOW
STREET JAIL.
BE Tells the Story Of His Welded Life
and Declares Imprisonment Vel.
come Rtlief
fNew YORK TlmeA.l

deuced COED time, and makes the rs
sertion thai tho board there is excellent
and the society delightful. Milton II.
Barlow, who for twenty years has
danced and sung and gcsticulated be-
fore an apprccia,ive public in the cheer
ful capacity Of minstrel and general
funny man, is now rusticat;ng in Lud-
low-street and exercising his wiles over
Warden Kesting and mis- myrmidons.
Mr.. Barlow likes IT, but still he is not
there for pleasure. The relentless hand |
OF the law in the person OF q well-fed
sheriff tore him from the fascinstions of
a performance at the Tendon Theatre
and lodged him in the jail a week ago
yesterday in Gofault Of 5000 bail.
The legal machinery had been put in
motion by the lady whom Barlow had
sworn 10 love, as minstrel and man,
when he led her to the altar Just twenty
years ago in the gay town of Paris
Kentucky.
Mrs. Barlow wants a divorce and ali
rnony--es especially the latter, her hVs-
band says-and has been indulging In
affidnvits couched il the usual unintei-
Iigible terms. Mr.. Barlow is accused
of running away from her with awoman
some years ago, of squandering the
money she brought to him, and more
recently of spending too much time in
the society Of Miss Lille Hall, spe-
cialty actress in ball & Bloodgood's
Burlcsque Company, at present delight
ing Bowery audiences at the London
Theatre. Mrs. Elizabeth III. Barlow, the
lady who is responsible for the min
strel's earthly being, in another affidavit
has declared that her son has a DISPOSE
ton much like that OF his father, who,
in lS41, betook himself to Salt Lake
City. took unto himself two wives after
the reprehensible Mormon fashion, and
was the father of seventeen children.
This Mrs. Barlow very naturally re-
sented. The afiidRvits resulted in the
issue of an order by Judge Macomber,
of the Supreme Court, in Rochester,
where the Barlows live, for the arrest
of the minstrel.
The undaunted Barlow was smoking
short pipe in perfect contentment in
the Jail last evening. Three blithe com
panions were listening to his genial sal
lies, and fatkeeper's eyes were blink
ing suspiciously as he lowered around
the minstrel's vicinity and caught scraps
OF his inexhaustible persihage.
Il like it here, said Barlow, thrust
ing back his natty smoking-cap. 81
like il. only can't make the money
which my wife wants. I'd give per-
Torrance here, only I'm afraid we've
not quite enough talent to make up n
first-rlte company, such as | am &C.
custOmed to. and then 1t would be hard
TO get an audience.
Then Mr.. Barlow lighted his stunted
pipe and related the history of what
people who are not minstels would call
troubles.
"The difficulty with my wife is,
said be, "that she's never been in the
profession, and doesn't understand it.
She hates my calling bitterly. AS long
az / can remember | have caught thun-
such was the minstrel's slaDg-
elf have ever dared to look at an
other woman. Why, bless my soul, |
when my wife has been in the front of |
the theatre and has heard woman |
praise my performance she has almost
gone into Mysteries. This became mo-
notonous, oh so monotonous-espe-
cially as | never did any harm at all.
"rhat woman" continued the min
strel, glancing furtively at an adipose
inmate of the Jail, who had both hands J
In his pockets to mitigate the absence
of anything else there, 81 clothed in
silks and satins when was prosperous.
Then she was happy and liked me, but
when adversely came she turned upon
the profession. Soon after we were
married her father left lot of property
to be divided among the girls and
the boys. The girls were. to have
money and the boys land. My wife's
share came TO g, 600, which she never |
got. Instead of that her lawyer gave
her Observation-Disclosures house, and
she was obliged to be satisfied with it,
We lived in that house until difficulties
came. was wounded during the war
and carbunkle broke out on my leg.
She sold the house-oh, yes, ] admit
that-advanced me money, and we
went TO Cincinnati. My company was
Barlow, Wilson, Primrose, and West.
Primrose and West withdrew, only Bar
low and Wilson were left, and | lost all
my money"
Mr.. Barlow was perfectly cheerful rs
be said this. "Then my wife became
frantic" he went on. "She told me
she hated the profession. l wasn't
earning $3.50 week as | had formerly,
and it broke her mp. We were billed
when to my ama2ement she went into
MYSTERIES. / broke with the company
and remained at home. . She said she
would rather I scraped the streets or
conducted a street-car than continue In
the profession. My friends gave me a
benefit from which / realized $50,
which i turned over to her. Then |
went to Buffalo and joined a vaude-
vile company, but We had misunder-
standing about salaries. couldn't go
beck TO Rochester, so | went to Pitts
Iurgh, and subsequently came to New
York, where / remained out of employ
ment, except for week in Philadel-
phia. ! was sick all last summer with
malarial fever. Then l joined McIn-
tyre 4 Heath's organization on small
salary. You see my contract hadn't
expired with Wilson, and l couldn't
use my name.
"With my savings | bought my wife
house in Rochester" he continued,
which she is now renting for $25
month. went to her and said Ny
dear, have bought you house.
Bought me house ! she exclaim-
ed, making wry face.
"sYes, and what's the matter now?'
Wasn't mad?
"sI see it ALL she exclaimed. You
want TO tie me down 10 Rochester and
co.pallivanting over the hills and far
away. Why, sir, don't you board your
children and take me with you 2 I'M
derstsnd why You bought me the
house.
81 had taken her all through the
country with me twice, and that's the
treatment / get Our profession is so
queer. Ny wife, associating with its
members, must have got herself among
evil takers. When people saw was
getting on well they tried their best TO
separate rs. She got these kind Of let
ters-anonymous, of course: IL you